DAMON Hunt, head of media at BAA, has an unenviable task. His letter [Runway survey a red herring, Letters, October 29] trying to show that expansion at Heathrow has a lot of business support was unconvincing.

The clear fact of the matter is that the overwhelming number of businesses in London and the south east have not come out in favour of expansion.

And the majority of those which have done so have links with BA or British Airways or would stand to make money from expansion.

The independent economic studies which have been done have shown that the expansion of Heathrow is not essential to the health of the economy.

Most businesses understand that. And that is the reason why they are staying silent.